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Football Australia release Injury Prevention resources to support players & coaches

Football Australia today released a suite of free Injury Prevention, Warm Up and Performance resources designed to assist players at all levels of the sport to reduce their risk of injury, perform better on the field and to be available to play more football, more often. 

Football Australia’s Perform+ and Fundamentals+ are core components of Football Australia’s ‘Player Availability Model’, which was developed throughout 2020 by Football Australia’s Medical and Sports Science Departments with input and endorsement from Australia’s national team coaches. 

The resources – which are now accessible via footballaustralia.com.au/perform and will be added to Football Australia Coach Education courses and materials – have been shown to reduce injury incidence by 40 to 50 per cent in youth, women’s and men’s football, when the program is completed at least twice a week. 

Football Australia’s Head of Medical, Dr Mark Jones, said the release of Football Australia’s Perform+ and Fundamentals+ resources are timely given grassroots and community football have begun to return nationwide.

“Football Australia’s Perform+ and Fundamentals+ frameworks provide players and their coaches with easy-to-follow guides which will help reduce a player’s risk of incurring an injury if it is undertaken two-to-three times per week,” Dr Jones said. 

“Perform+, which is designed for players aged between 10 and 59, is divided into two main components – Warm Up and Performance. The Warm Up component takes only eight to ten minutes to deliver and complete, while the Performance section can be integrated as a five-minute block in a training session, at the end of training or be completed at home. 

“Fundamentals+ has been created for kids aged from five up to 13. This program focuses on helping to develop the fundamental movement and coordination skills kids require to play football and sport. It features seven different exercises, each with three levels of difficulty, however an emphasis is always placed on fun to ensure kids remain engaged.

“Importantly, both programs have been developed to be delivered by coaches and parents who may not have any specific injury prevention or performance knowledge,” he explained. 

Football Australia’s Perform+ and Fundamentals+ frameworks provide players and their coaches with easy-to-follow guides which will help reduce a player’s risk of incurring an injury if it is undertaken two-to-three times per week.”

Football Australia Chief Executive Officer, James Johnson, said the release of Football Australia’s Perform+ and Fundamentals+ resources are designed to assist players at all levels of the sport to reduce their risk of injury, perform better on the field and to be available to play more football, more often and be safer when doing so.  

“It is important that Football Australia takes a proactive role in leading national initiatives that support the development of football, including players and coaches at all levels of the sport,” Johnson said.

“Football Australia’s Perform+ and Fundamentals+ frameworks are the result of extensive collaboration between Australian injury researchers, sports medicine practitioners, coaches and sports scientists to ensure that the national prevention program is not only effective in reducing injuries but can be easily delivered by coaches at all levels.

“Providing coaches and parents with tools so that players have a better chance to remain on the pitch to develop their talents, or simply to enjoy the sport, is vitally important to ensure football remains a safe and inclusive sport for all Australians to enjoy,” he said.

Football Australia’s Perform+ and Fundamentals+ resources – including downloadable A3 posters featuring the modules, explainer videos, and additional information – are now available at
footballaustralia.com.au/perform